Fighting For A Goddess

Charmed

Jade woke to the soft warmth of sunlight streaming through the window, her eyes fluttering open. It was early, the light already flooding the room in gold, but she felt surprisingly good. Her body didn’t ache like she expected it to. The night, with all its confusion and chaos, felt distant in a way she hadn’t anticipated.

She blinked, sitting up slowly as the remnants of the night before started to trickle back in. Her pulse quickened for a moment, but it passed as quickly as it had come. She exhaled deeply, shaking it off.

Her surroundings were vaguely familiar, although the room looked different now in the full light of day. The room was massive. It was decorated with modern masculine furniture, and there was the faint smell of pine lingering in the air. Xander’s room. She slept in Xander's bed. The last thing she remembered was him holding her hand before she passed out. Where was Xander?

She swung her legs over the side of the bed, her bare feet meeting the soft rug beneath her. As she stood, the slight ache in her body reminded her of the horrific night she had, but it wasn’t enough to make her falter. I’m fine, she thought, brushing it off.

Waking up in someone else's room made her feel like an intruder, but the need to freshen up overtook her. She padded across the room and entered the most over-the-top, beautiful bathroom, with marble tile and a shower that looked like you could go to space in it.

After using the bathroom, she took a moment to really look at herself. Her eyes were bright, clearer than she remembered. Her face—even without the usual care she took to put herself together—looked almost luminous. She was awake. She was alive.

She leaned over the sink, splashing her face with cold water, letting the chill help her focus. When she reached for the mouthwash, it felt refreshing in her mouth, sharp and minty. She gargled quickly, then spat it out, running her hands under the water one last time before straightening up.

As she dried her face with a towel, she glanced down at her swimsuit. She winced at the thought of having to leave the safety of the room and walk through this house full of men.

She walked back into the bedroom and noticed a black hooded sweater on the chair Xander had been in the night before. She froze for a second, unsure if she should put it on. But when her eyes landed on the black hoodie—Xander’s favorite, the one he always wore—her chest tightened with something she couldn’t quite explain.

It was too big for her, the sleeves swallowing her hands as she slipped it on over her swimsuit. But it felt comforting, warm, and well... safe. And she really needed to feel safe right now.

With a deep breath, she walked into the hallway. Now that she was out of the bedroom, she could distinctly hear voices coming from downstairs. She hesitated for a moment, but she couldn’t avoid it forever, so she made her way to the stairs. As she reached the top of the stairs, she paused, her eyes locking with three pairs of men’s gazes.

There was Xander, his presence as commanding as ever, though his eyes softened when they landed on her. Next to Xander was the blonde guy she’d seen yesterday morning on her run. He smiled at her in a friendly way, his brown eyes roaming her outfit. Jade felt herself blush, realizing what it must look like to these guys for her to come out of Xander's room wearing only his hoodie, barefoot, with no pants... although the hoodie could've passed as a dress.

Then her eyes landed on the tall, dark-haired guy standing on the other side of Xander. Hands in his pockets, his gray sweats hung low on his hips, and despite herself, Jade found her gaze lingering longer than was polite. When her eyes finally met his face, her blush deepened. He’d caught her looking. A small smirk played on his full lips that made him look both half amused and half unimpressed.

Max’s eyes flicked to the hoodie swallowing her frame, his expression darkening. “That yours?” he asked, glancing at Xander.

Xander smirked. “Looks better on her, doesn’t it?”

Max made a sound—a cross between a grunt and a scoff—but didn’t answer.

The blonde guy stepped forward, holding out his hand. “Hi, I’m Eric,” he said smoothly.

Xander sighed. “Jade, this is Eric Williams.”

Eric took her hand in his, but instead of shaking it, he lifted it to his lips and kissed it with an exaggerated flourish. “Pleasure is all mine,” he murmured, winking.

Jade rolled her eyes but couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at her lips. “Charming.”

Xander shot Eric a warning look before gesturing toward the other guy. “And this is Maximus Hayes.”

“Max,” he corrected, his voice low and impassive. But when Jade locked eyes with him, he gave her a small nod.

Eric’s grin widened as he took in her outfit. “So… no pants, huh? That’s a bold look.”

Jade lifted her chin. She wasn't about to let this pretty boy see her embarrassment. "Yeah, figured I’d make a statement.”

Max snorted.

Eric smirked. “Well, it’s working.”

Before Jade could fire back, Eric’s phone buzzed. He pulled it out, glanced at the screen, then looked straight at Xander. “It’s for you.”

Xander barely glanced at it. “I’ll call her back.”

“Xander, you need to call your girlfriend back. She’s been calling me and Max all night, worried sick,” Eric said, his tone unexpectedly serious as he glanced at Xander.

Xander merely sighed and pulled his phone from his pocket. “I’ll call her back now,” he replied flatly, then turned his attention back to Jade. “Stay here and have breakfast. The doctor’s coming by to check on you.”

As Xander stepped away to make his call, Max stepped forward. His dark eyes were intense as they roamed over Jade, silently searching for any sign of injury. In a low, husky tone that made her skin prickle, he asked, “Why do you need a doctor, Jade?”

Jade met his gaze for a moment, then, her voice soft and laced with a sudden weariness, she answered, “I’m fine—I just want to go home and check on Aidan.”

A heavy silence settled, and then she added in a small, trembling voice, “I seem to have lost my bag, my shoes, and my phone. Could you help me find them?”

Eric’s playful smirk faltered as he glanced at Xander, like helping her find her things so she could leave was some kind of betrayal to Xander who told her to stay.

Max answered without hesitation, “I’ll check Xander's truck,” he offered quietly.

Jade managed a small nod. “Thank you,” she whispered.

Her eyes dropped as the truth sank in—the very thought of Xander having a girlfriend made her feel hollow. She had clung to the hope that there was something more between them last night, something unspoken. But now, that hope shattered silently inside her, leaving her more tired than the damn drugs.